Coloradans react to arguments in gay rights case

Members of the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday heard oral arguments in a case that asks where to draw the line between the First Amendment rights of a Christian business owner in Colorado and the rights of LGBTQ people to not be discriminated against in the marketplace.

Here is what people are saying about 303 Creative v. Elenis:

“If you look at Colorado’s argument, what they’re essentially saying is that if you open up a business in America, you lose your First Amendment rights. ... I think the court was really concerned with Colorado’s broad construction of the law of public accommodation.” — Erin Morrow Hawley, senior counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents plaintiff Lorie Smith

“It was clear that the justices understood the gravity of this case, both the importance of protecting the principle we’re advocating for — a principle that has roots in the 1860s in Colorado when we first adopted a public accommodations requirement — and also the court was reluctant to find an easy exemption. ... The principle that we are fighting for is that if you’re a public business, you have to serve everybody.” — Attorney General Phil Weiser, whose office defended the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act

“Americans should be free to express ideas even if the government disagrees with those ideas. The U.S. Constitution protects against government coercion.” — Jeff Hunt, director of the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, who spoke outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

“#SCOTUS need to be real careful here. Claiming religious liberty to discriminate is a double edged sword.” — Former state Rep. Joe Salazar, D-Thornton

“Government should never infringe on the constitutional rights of the individual. Ms. Smith and others like her deserve the strongest possible First Amendment protections as they seek to uphold the principles that are central to their lives and faiths. The First Amendment not only protects Americans’ right to speak and express their views, but it also protects their freedom not to speak.” — U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn